Amazon to launch its own TV comedies, kid shows
WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse
Amazon unveiled plans Wednesday to launch its own comedy and children's television shows for digital delivery -- and asked customers for ideas.The Internet retail giant said its Amazon Studios "is expanding its development efforts into comedy and children's series." Amazon has already begun creating original TV shows for its online delivery system and the latest announcement expands that to comedy and kids' shows.
"Starting today, series creators are invited to upload their proposals for comedy and children's programming to Amazon Studios at http://studios.amazon.com/getting-started/series," the company said in a statement.
The selected comedy and children's series will be distributed through Amazon Instant Video, Amazon's digital video streaming service.
"Amazon Studios wants to discover great talent and produce programming that audiences will love," said Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios. "In the course of developing movies, we've heard a lot of interest from content creators who want to develop original series in the comedy and children's genres. We are excited to bring writers, animators and directors this new opportunity to develop original series." Amazon said it would test one new project per month with an audience and if selected for a full-budget series, the creator will receive a $55,000 payment, up to five percent of Amazon's net receipts from toy and t-shirt licensing, and other royalties and bonuses.
Amazon Studios new series development is led by Joe Lewis, previously with 20th Century Fox and Comedy Central, and Tara Sorensen, formerly with National Geographic Kids.
Amazon Studios launched in November 2010. Since then, more than 700 test movies and 7,000 scripts have been submitted and 15 movie projects are currently under development.
